If you were asked the best way to fight the flu or herpes, it’s a safe bet you wouldn’t think of chewing gum. Now, however, scientists from Finland and the United States, have created a medical-grade chewing gum made primarily from a bean powder that contains a broad-spectrum antiviral protein called FRIL that's able to neutralize not only human flu viruses but also bird flu. It’s a timely innovation to prevent their infection and transmission. By targeting viruses where they spread most efficiently — in the oral cavity — this product could address a major gap in healthcare. In lab tests, more than 50% of the virus-neutralizing FRIL protein was released within just 15 minutes of chewing the gum, reducing viral loads by more than 95% for flu. Stability tests also showed that the antiviral chewing gum can be stored at room temperature for nearly 800 days without going bad or losing the FRIL proteins it contains. Following the promising results of their lab tests, scientists are hoping to begin human trials soon, while also testing the gum’s effectiveness in fighting other dangerous viruses.
